Michele Conderino, director of homeless services, right, instructs volunteers on serving breakfast in the Dorothy Day Hospitality House on Monday, Jan.18,2010, as part of yhe effort by the Youth Volunteer Corps of Western Connecticut. less

Michele Conderino, director of homeless services, right, instructs volunteers on serving breakfast in the Dorothy Day Hospitality House on Monday, Jan.18,2010, as part of yhe effort by the Youth Volunteer Corps ... more

DANBURY -- Volunteer Corps of Western Connecticut members were at Dorothy Day Hospitality House, serving oatmeal and clementines to about 110 people early Monday, in celebration of Martin Luther King Day.

The volunteers, between the ages of 11 and 18, spent Sunday night in a pretend homeless shelter to experience a night in the life of a homeless person.

"It taught me to respect the homeless people," 13-year-old Matthew Keenan said. "A lot of people make fun of the homeless people, but you don't know why they're homeless and what they go through."

Volunteers came to the event with their own pillows and blankets, but once they were there they were told to sit in a circle and pass their belongings to the left.

"We wanted to show them how uncomfortable it is not to have your own stuff," said Sean Cunningham, a leader from AmeriCorps.

There were 20 cots, but 24 people, so a few had to sleep on the floor. Lights went out at 10:30.